The plaintiffs, including an Iraq War veteran, a child with a seizure disorder and an ex-NFL player, claimed that the CSA’s classification of cannabis as a Schedule I substance is so “irrational” that it violates the U.S. Constitution.
Category: Chronic Pain
Liebster Award Nomination
I know a woman. Her name is Paula. I have known her since I was in the 7th grade. When I first met her she was friends with my older brother. They would hang out together working on school projects and she even made a few appearances to our house for supper and a visit. Even though I was younger than her by five years, she still lit my fire.
Skip ahead to the 80’s and you will find that Paula and I had a chance meeting. It was completely unexpected for both of us and, even though it was brief, it would lead to our first date a few months later.
That first date took place in the month of September of 1985 and we would end up seeing each other every night after that until January, 10th of 1986. The next day, which happened to be January 11th, I watched as she walked down the aisle with her father. When they reached the front of the church he handed her over to me and we became a happily married couple.
Today it has been just over a month since we celebrated thirty two years together. As with any marriage that stands the test of time we have had our good times, bad times, and even times when we questioned why we were still together, but through it all we have remained a happily married couple as we promised each other on a cold day in 1986.
The reason I have taken the time to explain the success of our marriage is because she is the one to nominate me for this fantastic award along with the opportunity to spread my success on to other writers. It is an honor for me and I love my wife for including me.
First an explanation of the award.
The Liebster Award recognizes and celebrates bloggers, their content, skill, and contribution to the blogging community. The rules for accepting a nomination are:
Acknowledge the blogger who nominated your blog.
Answer the questions.
Nominate 11 bloggers to encourage them.
Ask them 11 questions.
Let them know you have nominated them.
Back Surgery Videos
The link below will take you to a very helpful website if you or someone you know suffers from chronic back pain.
This is the best list of videos in one place that I know of and many of them have been helpful to me in my journey with lifetime chronic back problems.
Open Letter From A Chronic Pain Sufferer
This article is copied in its entirety with links to the original site I discovered this post on. I didn’t write this but it is amazing to me how much it mirrors what I have been wanting to say for a long time.
Having chronic pain means many things change, and a lot of the changes are invisible.
Unlike having cancer or being hurt in an accident, most people do not understand chronic pain and its effects, and of those that think they know, many are actually misinformed.
In the spirit of informing those who wish to understand: These are the things that I would like you to understand about me before you judge me.
- Please understand that being sick doesn’t mean I’m not still a human being. I have to spend most of my day in considerable pain and exhaustion, and if you visit, sometimes I probably don’t seem like much fun to be with, but I’m still me, stuck inside this body. I still worry about work, my family, my friends, and most of the time, I’d still like to hear you talk about yours, too.
See Modern Theories of Chronic Pain
- Please understand the difference between “happy” and “healthy”. When you’ve got the flu you probably feel miserable with it, but I’ve been sick for years. I can’t be miserable all the time. In fact, I work hard at not being miserable. So, if you’re talking to me and I sound happy, it means I’m happy. That’s all. It doesn’t mean that I’m not in a lot of pain, or not extremely tired, or that I’m getting better, or any of those things. Please don’t say, “Oh, you’re sounding better!” or “But you look so healthy!” I am merely coping. I am sounding happy and trying to look normal. If you want to comment on that, you’re welcome to.
See 4 Tips to Help Cope With Chronic Pain and Depression
- Please understand that being able to stand up for 10 minutes doesn’t necessarily mean that I can stand up for 20 minutes, or an hour. Just because I managed to stand up for 30 minutes yesterday doesn’t mean that I can do the same today. With a lot of diseases you’re either paralyzed, or you can’t move. With this one, it gets more confusing every day. It can be like a yo-yo. I never know from day to day how I am going to feel when I wake up. In most cases, I never know from minute to minute. That is one of the hardest and most frustrating components of chronic pain.
- Please repeat the above paragraph substituting “sitting,” “walking,” “thinking,” “concentrating,” “being sociable,” and so on; it applies to everything. That’s what chronic pain does to you.
- Please understand that chronic pain is variable. It’s quite possible (and for many, it’s common) that one day I am able to walk to the park and back, while the next day I’ll have trouble getting to the next room. Please don’t attack me when I’m ill by saying, “But you did it before!” or “Oh, come on, I know you can do this!” If you want me to do something, then ask if I can. In a similar vein, I may need to cancel a previous commitment at the last minute. If this happens, please do not take it personally. If you are able to, please try to always remember how very lucky you are, to be physically able to do all of the things that you can do.
See Chronic Pain Coping Techniques – Pain Management
- Please understand that “getting out and doing things” does not make me feel better, and can often make me seriously worse.You don’t know what I go through or how I suffer in my own private time. Telling me that I need to exercise or do some things to “get my mind off of it” may frustrate me to tears, and is not correct. If I was capable of doing some things any or all of the time, don’t you know that I would? I am working with my doctors and I am doing what I am supposed to do. Another statement that hurts is, “You just need to push yourself more, try harder.” Obviously, chronic pain can affect the whole body, or be localized to specific areas. Sometimes participating in a single activity for a short or a long period of time can cause more damage and physical pain than you could ever imagine. Not to mention the recovery time, which can be intense. You can’t always read it on my face or in my body language. Also, chronic pain may cause secondary depression (wouldn’t you get depressed and down if you were hurting constantly for months or years?), but it is not created by depression.
See Depression and Chronic Back Pain
- Please understand that if I say I have to sit down, lie down, stay in bed, or take these pills now, that probably means that I do have to do it right now, it can’t be put off or forgotten just because I’m somewhere, or I’m right in the middle of doing something. Chronic pain does not forgive, nor does it wait for anyone.
- If you want to suggest a cure to me, please don’t. It’s not because I don’t appreciate the thought, and it’s not because I don’t want to get well. Lord knows that isn’t true. In all likelihood, if you’ve heard of it or tried it, so have I. In some cases, I have been made sicker, not better. This can involve side effects or allergic reactions, as is the case with herbal remedies. It also includes failure, which in and of itself can make me feel even lower. If there were something that cured, or even helped people with my form of chronic pain, then we’d know about it. There is worldwide networking (both on and off the Internet) between people with chronic pain. If something worked, we would KNOW. It’s definitely not for lack of trying. If, after reading this, you still feel the need to suggest a cure, then so be it. I may take what you said and discuss it with my doctor.
See Pain Management for Chronic Back Pain
- If I seem touchy, it’s probably because I am. It’s not how I try to be. As a matter of fact, I try very hard to be normal. I hope you will try to understand. I have been, and am still, going through a lot. Chronic pain is hard for you to understand unless you have had it. It wreaks havoc on the body and the mind. It is exhausting and exasperating. Almost all the time, I know that I am doing my best to cope with this, and live my life to the best of my ability. I ask you to bear with me, and accept me as I am. I know that you cannot literally understand my situation unless you have been in my shoes, but as much as is possible, I am asking you to try to be understanding in general.
See 11 Chronic Pain Control Techniques
- In many ways I depend on you, people who are not sick. I need you to visit me when I am too sick to go out. Sometimes I need you help me with the shopping, the cooking, or the cleaning. I may need you to take me to the doctor or to the store. You are my link to the “normalcy” of life. You can help me to keep in touch with the parts of life that I miss and fully intend to undertake again, just as soon as I am able.
- I know that I asked a lot from you, and I do thank you for listening. It really does mean a lot.
From <https://www.spine-health.com/blog/open-letter-a-person-chronic-pain>
National Institute on Drug Abuse Updates Website, Now has “Marijuana as Medicine” Page
March 16, 2017
The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) has made some small but impactful changes to their website’s page on medical marijuana.
Prior to the change, NIDA had a page on their website titled Is Marijuana Medicine? The page has now been updated with several changes, including a change in title; it is now referred to as simply Marijuana as Medicine, without the question mark. This is a small change, but an important one.
In addition to a change in title, there were multiple other changes made to the page. Below are the seven biggest changes, pointed out by Westword;
1. No link to WhiteHouse.gov
In the first section, titled “What is medical marijuana?,” the explanation of the term begins the same way it did in the last update: It explains what “medical marijuana” is and also states that the FDA has not approved cannabis for medicinal use. Everything else remains the same until the very end of the section. Because the Trump Administration removed the White House website’s page that explains state laws related to marijuana, that link is now missing from the NIDA’s website.
When he ran for president, Donald Trump indicated that he was in favor of marijuana being used for medicinal purposes, but since he took office, his administration has given many signs that that stance has been abandoned, from appointing Jeff Sessions, a staunch anti-marijuana opponent, as attorney general, to multiple statements from press secretary Sean Spicer indicating a potential federal crackdown on cannabis. Just this week, Sessions said marijuana is “only slightly less awful” than heroin.
2. Explaining cannabinoids
In this section, the important change isn’t what’s missing, but what’s been rephrased. In the July 2015 revision, THC was described as “marijuana’s main mind-altering ingredient.” The latest revision adds the words “that makes people, ‘high’.” There’s also a new link link to a page explaining Synthetic Cannabis.
Synthetic marijuana is used primarily to enhance the high in THC-centric marijuana products. Adding information about synthetic marijuana to a section about cannabinoids makes a distinction between natural cannabinoids derived from the plant and synthetic products made in a lab. Most medical products come directly from the plant; this point is important. Multiple studies have shown synthetic marijuana to be more harmful than products made exclusively from the cannabis plant, and THC products get a bad rap when synthetic marijuana causes harmful effects.
3. CBD and childhood epilepsy
One of the most drastic changes is an informational box once titled “What is CBD?” The updated title reads: “CBD and Childhood Epilepsy.”
The box itself explains how CBD can treat epilepsy; the small shift in the headline reflects how accepted this practice has become. So does a change in the verbiage. Instead of reading, “These drugs may be less desirable to recreational users because they are not intoxicating,” the updated version is more direct: “These drugs aren’t popular for recreational use because they aren’t intoxicating.”
This change is major for medical patients: So much of the time, their medicine is compared to THC and negative cultural norms associated with smoking marijuana. Specifying that drugs that medical patients use are not in any way comparable to the high users get from THC is an important distinction.
4. Alzheimer’s disease removed
Alzheimer’s disease was removed from a list of conditions that are the focus of current scientific pre-clinical and clinical trials. That could be because multiple studies have been published since 2015 linking cannabis to improved memory.
Last summer, the Salk Institute discovered a compound in marijuana that helps remove deadly plaque from nerve cells and could be used treat Alzheimer’s. There’s even a medical dispensary in New York that’s partnering with a retirement home to use cannabis to aid in elderly patient care.
5. “State approved”
Four more states legalized medicinal cannabis since the last edit of this page; four more legalized recreational use. In over half of the states in this country, cannabis is legal in some form. The section about potential health risks used to read “regular medicinal use of marijuana is a fairly new practice.” The revision? “State-approved medicinal use of marijuana is a fairly new practice.”
States with legalized marijuana face uncertainty in the age of Trump. But acknowledging that states have approved marijuana for medical use on a government site is significant as the industry grapples with questions about states’ rights.
6. Section on pregnancy
An entire section has been added to the revised page, focusing on the use of medical marijuana during and after pregnancy. The gist: There needs to be more research before a definitive answer can be made about the effects of marijuana on a fetus or infant.
The only study that measures THC in breast milk, for example, is from 1982 and provides data from just two subjects. “All of Colorado policy around marijuana use and breastfeeding is derived from one person’s data,” notes Dr. Heather Thompson, deputy director of Elephant Circle, a local organization working with a physician in Texas who is conducting a study on the effect of THC in breast milk.
7. Medications with cannabinoids
In the section that explains the two FDA-approved drugs containing THC, dronabinol and nabilone, an important sentence was added: “Continued research might lead to more medications.”
Cannabis research had been virtually halted; the federal government prohibits most labs from using any marijuana in studies that isn’t grown from one specific lab. But this is changing. Last summer, the DEA ended the government’s monopoly on cannabis research, which has allowed new groups to study the plant. Then, last winter, the Colorado Department of Public Health put $2.35 million dollars toward funding for seven studies that will hopefully answer some questions about the health and safety impacts of marijuana.
Bills that would legalize medical cannabis have been filed in West Virginia’s House of Delegates and Senate.
March 06, 2017
Delegate Mike Pushkin (D) filed House Bill 2677, and Senator Richard Ojeda (D) filed Senate Bill 386. Both would legalize medical cannabis, albeit in different manners. HB 2688 has no cosponsors, whereas SB 386 is cosponsored by a bipartisan coalition of nine senators.
HB 2677 would legalize the possession of up to six ounces of cannabis, and the cultivation of up to 12 plants, for those with a qualifying condition who receive a recommendation from a physician. Qualifying conditions include:
(A) Cancer, glaucoma, positive status for human immunodeficiency virus, acquired immune deficiency syndrome, hepatitis C, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Crohn’s disease, agitation of Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, addiction to opiates or amphetamines or the treatment of these conditions;
(B) A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or its treatment that produces one or more of the following: Cachexia or wasting syndrome; severe or chronic pain; severe nausea; seizures; or severe and persistent muscle spasms, including, but not limited to, those characteristic of multiple sclerosis; or
(C) Any other medical condition or its treatment added by the department, as provided in section six of this article.
The proposal would established a system of licensed and regulated cannabis dispensaries, as a means of safe access to the medicine.
SB 386 would also legalize medical cannabis – including license dispensaries – but in a more limited way. Qualifying conditions include:
(A) A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition that results in a patient being admitted into hospice or receiving palliative care; or
(B) A chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition or the treatment of a chronic or debilitating disease or medical condition that produces:
(i) Cachexia, anorexia, or wasting syndrome;
(ii) Severe or chronic pain that does not find effective relief through standard pain medication;
(iii) Severe nausea;
(iv) Seizures; or
(v) Severe or persistent muscle spasms.
HB 2677 has been assigned to the House Prevention and Treatment of Substance Abuse Committee. SB 386 has been assigned to the Senate Health and Human Resources.
Marijuana industry, angered by White House reversal, speaks out “It just defies logic”
The cannabis industry was rattled Thursday after White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said he expects the Department of Justice to increase enforcement of federal laws prohibiting recreational pot, even in states where it’s already legal.
Along with the District of Columbia, eight states have legalized recreational use among adults, including California, Maine, Massachusetts, and Nevada just this past November. That means one in five American adults can smoke, vape, drink, or eat cannabis as they please under state law.
Meanwhile, over half of the nation’s states have legalized medical marijuana despite federal laws prohibiting its sale. The industry is estimated to be worth north of $6 billion and will hit $50 billion by 2026, according to Cowen & Co.
“Today’s news coming out of the administration regarding the adult use of cannabis is, of course, disappointing,” Derek Peterson, CEO of marijuana cultivator Terra Tech Corp., said Thursday in a statement. “We have hoped and still hope that the federal government will respect states’ rights in the same manner they have on several other issues.”
Spicer sought to distinguish the prospect of federal enforcement for medical, versus recreational, cannabis use, saying “there’s still a federal law that we need to abide by when it comes to recreational marijuana and other drugs of that nature.”
Spicer’s statements reanimated industry concern that first arose when Republican President Donald Trump’s short-list of potential attorney general nominees emerged. The final pick, former senator Jeff Sessions of Alabama, a Republican, has long opposed cannabis use, but is a major proponent of state’s rights.
In his mid-January confirmation hearing, Sessions said he wouldn’t “commit to never enforcing federal law” but added that “absolutely it’s a problem of resources for the federal government.” He said that if Congress felt marijuana possession should no longer be illegal, it “should pass a law.” Trump has similarly gone back and forth on the issue of legalization.
Read the rest of the article at the Source: Marijuana industry, angered by White House reversal, speaks out “It just defies logic”
Indiana Legislature Passes Bill to Legalize Medical Use of CBD, Now Goes to Governor
Legislation to legalize the medical use of cannabidiol (CBD) has been approved by Indiana’s full legislature.
The measure was approved 98 to 0 by the state’s House of Representatives on Tuesday, following approval from the Senate. It now goes to Governor Eric Holcomb for consideration.
Under the proposed law, it would be legal for those with a seizure disorder to possess and use medicines that contain marijuana-derived CBD, given they receive a recommendation from a physician. Tinctures, oils and pills would all be allowed, given they contain little virtually no tetrahydrocannabinol (THC).
Advocates of medical cannabis praised the decision by the legislature to approve the measure, but say it doesn’t go nearly far enough; they wan t the law expanded to include more medical conditions, and to allow for full-plant cannabis use and not just CBD.
New Hampshire’s House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee has passed a bill to decriminalize cannabis and hash possession.
New Hampshire’s House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee has passed a bill to decriminalize cannabis and hash possession.
House Bill 640 was approved with an overwhelming 14 to 2 vote. The measure would decriminalize the possession of up to an ounce of cannabis, and up to five grams of hash, for those 21 and older.
If police do catch someone possessing cannabis or hash within those limits, it would be “a fine of $100 for a first offense under this paragraph, a fine of $200 for a second offense within three years of the first offense, or a fine of $350 for a third or subsequent offense within 3 years of 2 other offenses.” Under current law the possession of even a minuscule amount of cannabis is a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in jail.
House Bill 640 is sponsored by a bipartisan, bicameral coalition of a dozen lawmakers including Representatives Robert Cushing (D), Keith Murphy (R), Frank Sapareto (R), William Pearson (D), Carol McGuire (R), Chuck Grassie (D), Daniel Eaton (D), Patricia Lovejoy (D), as well as Senators Martha Clark, John Reagan, Daniel Innis.
Last year New Hampshire’s full House of Representatives passed a similar bill with a 289 to 58 vote, but it failed to pass the Senate.
According to a WMUR Granite State Poll released July of last year, 61% of New Hampshire voters support legalizing cannabis.
The full text of House Bill 640 can be found by clicking here.
Source: New Hampshire Committee Passes Bill to Decriminalize Cannabis and Hash appeared first on TheJointBlog.com.
New Cannabis Patch To Treat Fibromyalgia And Diabetic Nerve Pain Revealed
A company that specializes in the use of cannabis as a form of medication have come up with a revolutionary pain patch that can be used to treat diabetic nerve pain and symptoms of fibromyalgia. This could change the way cannabis is viewed in the medical world forever.
The new medications are designed to be administered as transdermal patches, which are basically adhesive patches that are stuck to the skin and release certain chemicals over time to help combat neurological nerve pain associated with diabetes and fibromyalgia. Using this medium means a controlled dose of the medication can be administered on a daily basis, with no negative side effects discovered so far.
Cannabis Science, the company who originally designed the patches, said:
“Promote healing to an injured area of the body. An advantage of a transdermal drug delivery route over other types of medication delivery such as oral, topical, intravenous, intramuscular, etc. is that the patch provides a controlled release of the medication into the patient, usually through either a porous membrane covering a reservoir of medication or through body heat melting thin layers of medication embedded in the adhesive which will be containing high potency cannabinoid (CBD) extract that slowly enters into the bloodstream and then penetrates the central nervous system of the patient delivering the pain relief sought.”
CBD is the second most major cannabinoid contained in cannabis, the main one being THC. CBD has incredible pain relieving and anti-inflammatory properties and comes from a completely natural source with very few side effects, including the hallucinogenic effects commonly associated with THC.
Mr. Raymond C Dabney, CEO of Cannabis Science stated that:
“The development of these two new pharmaceutical medicinal applications are just the tip of the iceberg for what we see as the future for Cannabis Science. While we strive to increase our land capacity for growth and facilities to produce our own product to supply our scientists with proprietary materials to make these formulations, we are also busy researching more potential needs for Cannabis related medical applications and developing the methods for delivery of these medications.”
Fibromyalgia is thought to affect up to 10% of us, with a huge number of sufferers not yet diagnosed. Nerve neuropathy diabetic pain affects a large number of people worldwide, and this new treatment will be a massive step in the right direction towards limiting certain symptoms, and maybe even curing these illnesses for good.
Mr. Dabney concludes:
“As more states nationwide legislate for the legalization of cannabis and cannabis-derived medications, we here at Cannabis Science are focused on developing pharmaceutical formulations and applications to supply the huge growing demand expected over the coming few years.”
Source: Live The Organic Dream – New Cannabis Patch To Treat Fibromyalgia And Diabetic Nerve Pain Revealed
Oro Cas Reflects 
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